Category: Author Debut

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, R, RATING, Read in 2009, READING CHALLENGES 2009

REVIEW: Conflicts with Interest by Michael Ruddy

Tara

Conflicts with Interest
by Michael Ruddy

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 333
Rating: 4/5
Read: Dec. 28-30, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010
Yearly Count: 73

First Line: The river card snapped to the felt.

T.R. Morgan of Morgan Homes has had a successful life and business. But it’s all threatened by one little thing: a lawsuit. And who else is he going to be going up against but Steve Sanderson – a ruthless and feared attorney in the Bay Area. Not knowing much about what he is about to be involved with, he’s optimistic that his insurance company will come to his rescue and a quick settlement will be reached. But not with Steve Sanderson – even the insurance companies fear Sanderson. How far will this go? Will he lose his business? His home? Everything? Everything will have to play itself out before it will come to an unbelievable end. An ending that no one would have expected. Will T.R. bring Sanderson down, or will Sanderson bring T.R. down?

I was contacted by Rebecca Brown of The Cadence Group about reading and reviewing this ARC. Scheduled to be published in late January, 2010, this book was quite interesting. It was not a mystery, which is what I’m used to reading. But it was more of a general fiction book. It also dealt with the building industry, something that I am somewhat involved in being employed by a concrete company. Overall I think that this was a good debut novel. However, I had some reservations about it as well. First of all, the legal descriptions that are involved in this book can be a little overwhelming to the lay person. I also felt as if the chapters going back and forth were a little choppy. There were a few grammatical errors (but it was an ARC, hopefully they’ll catch that before final publication – I hate being such a stickler for grammar, but I am!) Overall though, this book kept my interest. It was an enjoyable read for me, and I’m glad that I was contacted about this book because it probably would not be something that I would pick up in a bookstore or library. I am interested to see where Mr. Ruddy’s writing will take him next based upon his background. He definitely has the skill to come up with new and interesting topics and I hope to see that in the future.

AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, F, Fiction, Read in 2009

The Osiris Alliance by Jack Ford

Tara

The Osiris Alliance
by Jack Ford

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 287
Rating: 5/5
Read: May 6-11, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge
Yearly Count: 22

First Line: The big bolt on the cell door slammed open, echoing like a thunderclap in the silence of the prison hallway.

When the US government gets wind of a possible nuclear arms smuggling deal going down, federal prosecutor Adam Stark opens an investigation. But when he begins to run into dead ends, he finds help from an unlikely source – television reporter Megan Delaney. Her own investigation into rumors surrounding the arms deal has led her to the Osiris Corporation, but she doesn’t know where it goes from there. Pairing up, they discover a small time crook who has an interesting piece of the puzzle – a stolen diary that gives all the answers and then some. But the diary’s owner wants his property back, and will go to great lengths to get it returned to him before Adam and Megan get their hands on it.

I received this book from Shelby Sledge with Phenix & Phenix Publicists to review. I have to admit that I was very excited to get this opportunity. I have seen the author, Mr. Ford, on television numerous times (I’m a former Court TV junkie!) and figured by the description of the book that this would be a really great read. I have to say, I was NOT disappointed!! I thought that the writing was concise and well done, the plot was intriguing and well thought out and the overall book was immaculate. I was entertained from start to finish – and let me tell you, I really enjoyed the historical twist to the book. I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good read and I look forward to any future books that Mr. Ford writes.

A, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, Read in 2009

Capital Offense by Kathleen Antrim

Tara

Capital Offense
by Kathleen Antrim

Copyright: 2001
Pages: 385
Rating: 4/5
Read: April 22-30, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009
Yearly Count: 21

First Line: “What’s deadlier to a country than war?” a low, gravelly voice slurred.

A successful woman in her own right, Carolyn Alden Lane, wife of Senator Warner Lane from Missouri, Carolyn will do seemingly anything to put her husband in the White House – it’s her goal as well. But after a shocking confession to her husband, he becomes cold and distant. Their marriage is essentially over. But they can’t divorce. If they divorce Warner’s career is over. So Carolyn decides to take matters into her own hands and really manipulates everyone she comes into contact with just so she can be in the White House. But her real motive? Not only does she want to be First Lady – she also wants to be Vice President!

I enjoyed this book. I liked the writing. I thought that it was really good actually! Carolyn came across as a really heartless woman at times, but her original intentions were good. I thought that Antrim did a good job showing the kind of power that most people in Washington have (as well as outside of Washington) and what people will really do to become President or Vice President.

AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, M, Read in 2009

The Chemist by Janson Mancheski

Tara

The Chemist
by Dr. Janson Mancheski

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 449
Rating: 4/5
Read: Jan. 2-7, 2009
Challenge: What’s in a Name 2 – Profession in Title category; Countdown Challenge; 2009 100+ Reading Challenge; 2009 1st in a Series Challenge
Yearly Count: 1

First Line: Jagged clouds scudded across the starless June night sky.

Last spring three young women went missing. Three months – three missing girls. There was no evidence that the cases were linked. There wasn’t even any evidence to suggest foul play. Then one of the women’s bodies was discovered in Lake Michigan, headless and full of date rape drugs. Detective Cale Van Waring has no proof, but he knows that these cases are indeed related and that these women are being abducted and possibly murdered. But eventually these cases end up in the cold case pile. After a long winter, spring has once again arrived. And with spring’s arrival, another young woman goes missing. But this time, Detective Van Waring finds a very loose trail. But with his boss watching his every move and his personal life starting to crumble, Van Waring struggles to solve this case before more young women goes missing or ends up dead.

This book was sent to me to spotlight on my blog. After a somewhat slow beginning, I was quickly hooked on this book!! It took me a while to read it simply because my life has been hectic. This should be a quick and easy read for people. I really enjoyed Detective Van Waring’s quick wit. And the interaction between him and his two colleagues on the police force, “Slink” Dooley and Anton Staszak was great in my opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by Dr. Mancheski and I am looking forward to the future Van Waring books!

AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, F, Fiction, Read in 2008

In the Woods by Tana French

Tara

In the Woods
by Tana French

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 429
Rating: 3/5
Read: Nov. 3-9, 2008
Challenge: No challenge; personal read

First Line: Picture a summer stolen whole from some coming-of-age film set in small-town 1950s.

When Katy Devlin, a 12-year-old girl who is an up-and-coming dancer, is found murdered at a local archaeological dig, Detectives Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox get the case. But what they find is harrowing at best. There are strange similarities between this case and a 20 year old case involving the disappearance of two young children from the same neighborhood. But what really makes this case difficult, is that for Ryan, those two kids from the previous case, were his best friends. It will take a lot out of these two Detectives to piece this case together and find the killer, and it will fracture their friendship and working relationship before Rob is technically forced off the case because of his connection. But when they finally figure the case out, it will be a shocker.

I wanted SO MUCH to love this book. But in the end, I just didn’t. I was disappointed. I tend to not like a lot of fluffy and pretty words, and I felt like this book had a lot of them. Just give me the story – I don’t want any long flowing descriptions that are pointless in the end. And I felt like this book had that problem. And the ending, oh my goodness … it was such a disappointment, it really and truly was! Maybe that’s because there really was no ending. I just wasn’t impressed by this book.

4.5/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, E, Fiction, Read in 2008

All the Pretty Girls by J.T. Ellison

Tara
All the Pretty Girls
by J.T. Ellison

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 411
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: Aug. 27-29, 2008
Challenge: Initials Reading Challenge, Suspense & Thriller Challenge – Serial Killer subgenre

First Line: “No. Please don’t.”

When a local Nashville girl is killed by a sadistic serial killer, Homicide Lieutenant Taylor Jackson and her lover, FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin find themselves working together to catch the “Southern Strangler.” Up-an-coming TV reporter Whitney Connolly is absolutely positive that The Southern Strangler is her ticket to the big times. She is being contacted by the Strangler. But she has no idea just how close the story is to herself. When the killer starts to spin out of control, Taylor and John have no idea where this case will take them, what it will uncover and how awful the truth actually is.

This book was really good! I thought that it had a slightly slow start, but once I got about 100 pages into it it really picked up and was an awesome read!!! This was a fantastic debut for Ellison, and I look forward to her book for many years to come!!